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rowing dock freeboard

What Do Low-Profile and Freeboard Mean for Rowing Docks?

We often receive phone calls asking, "What is low profile or freeboard for rowing docks?"

Those not familiar with rowing, sailing, and other aquatic sports, often ask, "What is a low profile dock?" or "What is freeboard?" This is a very important quality of an aluminum floating dock for rowing centers and a vital consideration when designing a rowing center.

Imagine boarding or exiting a boat or a boat's cockpit. The larger the height differential between the rowing dock and the boat, the more difficult it is to get in and out of a boat. Factor in a poorly-designed floating dock that is unstable, as well as a boat floating on choppy water. Moving from dock to boat becomes increasingly difficult, especially when the rower is squeezing into a narrow racing shell with other rowers also moving about. Rowing is best enjoyed without falling in!

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rowing center rowing docks

Rowing Dock Manufacturers for Rowing Centers

Owners and managers of rowing centers, as well as rowing and paddling clubs, want heavy-duty aluminum-frame floating rowing docks at their facility. Rowing docks are designed for long-term performance with the rower in mind.

BoardSafe's floating rowing docks can be found at numerous rowing centers around the United States. The BoardSafe rowing docks are made in America and designed for commercial and residential applications.

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adaptive kayaker launching

Successful First Adaptive Paddling and Picnic at Lake by BoardSafe Docks

In the fall of 2015, BoardSafe Docks installed a new ADA fishing pier and adaptive / ADA kayak launch at Leaser Lake in Kempton, PA. The floating docks and applications were designed and constructed by BoardSafe Docks, completing an ADA and adaptive park area that already included paved nature trails and ADA picnic tables.

On Sunday, May 22, 2016, a group of 12 adaptive paddlers and 30 volunteers, including 6 ACC instructors, enjoyed their first adaptive paddling event.

The Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation coordinated the parking, food, and programming, while Team River Runner handled the adaptive boating program. This was the first event of its kind since the unveiling and trial run on the adaptive kayak boat launch in November. Paddlers were taught water safety, the proper way to enter and exit a boat, and the basics of paddling.

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ADA boat kayak launch

ADA Kayak Boat Launch: What Does It Look Like?

Here at BoardSafe, we've taken great pride in developing what we think is the best ADA adaptive kayak boat launch on the market, with the help of adaptive paddlers, The Center for Independent Living, and other users and experts. We also used the best practices of canoeing and kayaking for people with disabilities. Check out our photos!Read more


Lions Club Raises Money, Completes Adaptive Kayak Launch Installation

When Kempton Lions Club member Tom Kerr was seeking a project for the year, he leveraged his other civic involvement to identify needs in the community. The Kempton Lions Club is a rural club in the rolling hills of eastern Pennsylvania. Kerr, a Kempton area resident, also sits on the Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation board and was heavily involved in Leaser Lake environmental issues and outdoor activities.

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What Is an Adaptive Kayak Boat Launch?

What is an adaptive kayak boat launch?

In the video below, BoardSafe explains the features of its adaptive kayak boat launch that provide access to those with disabilities, handicaps, and other mobility limitations. The launch is ideally engineered and built for kayaks, canoes, and other boats.

The ADA-compliant adaptive kayak boat launch was engineered based on existing adaptive paddling applications, as well as innovations generated by a group of adaptive kayakers and paddlers.Read more


Adaptive launch saddle

Adaptive Kayak and ADA Boat Launches Protect Your Boat

At BoardSafe Docks, we believe we have designed and built the best ADA adaptive boat launch available on the market. That’s not coming from us — it's coming from the adaptive kayakers and para-rowers. After all, they are the experts, and they are also the ones who designed it.Read more


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New Docks and Marina for Bridge Harbor Yacht Club in Freeport, Texas

The Bridge Harbor Yacht Club on the Gulf Coast of Texas has been receiving major renovations to their facilities. Recently, they completed 1100 feet of new bulkhead, along with a new 30-plus slip floating dock. The project replaced the old concrete "A" dock to create a much safer and more convenient environment for boat owners.

BoardSafe, a manufacturer of aluminum floating docks, gangways, piers, and rowing centers, supplied the project marina products (docks and gangway) for the Bridge Harbor Yacht Club in Freeport, Texas.Read more


penn quaker floating dock

Northeast Products Is Exclusive Distributor of Pearson Pilings

Customers who live or work in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, and want Pearson Pilings for their commercial or residential project, need to purchase them through Northeast Products and Services, Inc. (“Northeast”). Northeast is the exclusive distributor of Pearson Pilings in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Pearson's fiberglass composite pilings are the ideal building materials for waterfront foundations, docks, piers, and bridges. The composite pilings are stronger than wood, steel, and concrete pilings, and because they will not rust, rot, or crumble, they will last virtually forever. Containing no chemical preservatives that leach into the water, Pearson sustainable fiberglass composite pilings are environmentally-friendly and are the choice of “green” developers of clean marinas and waterfront properties.

Commercial applications include pilings for marinas, piers, docks, bridges, and more.

New marinas and docks, fishing piers, municipal bulkheads, and bridges, demand the strongest, most durable pilings available. Pearson pilings require no maintenance and will rarely need to be replaced, even after several years of hard use. Demolition and removal of old pilings may also be avoided by installing Pearson pilings over existing pilings.

The unique properties of fiberglass composite pilings make them an ideal building material for a wide variety of applications where superior strength and durability are required. From artificial reefs to elephant retaining walls, from bridge fendering systems to commercial building foundations, engineers and architects are finding new and unusual applications for Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings every day.

Best of all, Pearson pilings are environmentally-friendly. If you're building "green," you'll want to specify only Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings.

Residential applications include pilings for home foundations and residential docks and piers.

If you are building a new waterfront home, adding a new dock, or need to repair your existing dock or bulkhead, you'll want to use today's strongest, most-durable pilings. Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings will never rot, rust, or crumble. They'll last virtually forever. They're incredibly strong, too — stronger than wood, steel, and concrete! Their attractive, smooth, natural finish will look good year after year, never developing harmful, unsightly splinters.

Ask your contractor or architect to specify Pearson Pilings. Your investment today will pay off in the long run by eliminating replacement costs and increasing the value of your waterfront property.

If you are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, or Maryland, and would like to discuss your projects using Pearson Pilings, call Northeast at 610-899-0286. Northeast has decades of experience in residential and commercial construction as well as marine construction. Northeast also specializes in manufacturing aluminum floating docks, piers, gangways and rowing centers.


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